The Bronx is Boiling: The Yankees’ Closer Question

Writing for the New York Yankees, you expose yourself to an onslaught of comments. Some are passion-driven and come from the heart, some prove the writer wrong, and some are just so off the wall that you wonder how you are the one being called names. Since the season ended, one of the most heated and commented upon issues has been the David Robertson issue.

Robertson had the unenviable task of replacing the Sandman, Mariano Rivera in the Bronx. Mo wasn’t just adored by the pinstripe faithful because he was great, we loved Mo for being Mo. Cool, calm, collected and seemingly always smiling. Robertson stepped up and had an admirable season. Now he’s a free agent, and everyone seems to have an opinion on it. Well, so do I. The Bronx is boiling and I need to blow some steam.

THE D-ROB CONUNDRUM

There is no denying Robertson was fantastic in year one as a closer in the Bronx. He came into an already high-pressure situation that was inflated from whose shoes he had to fill. D-Rob was 4-5 with 39 saves and a 3.08 ERA. He wasn’t as perfect as some people made him seem, however. There were often runners on base, which he worked his way out of with his high strike out rate, and he did blow five saves. That being said, it was a step in the right direction to becoming a successful closer in the MLB. The question now is for which team will he be doing it.

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Robertson is about to hit the free agent market. Since the season ended, several of my cohorts here at Yanks Go Yard have had their opinions made clear in articles. Some of the people chiming in have made some rather interesting comments. Instead of continuing to scratch my head in wonder, lets break some of them down.

“Wetteland was good, Robertson was great.” A lot has been made of the comparisons to the ’96 back end of the bullpen to today’s. John Wetteland was one of the league’s premier closers in baseball, but setting up for him was a young Sandman. At the end of the ’96 season, much like the end of this season, the Yankees closer was a free agent. They let Wetteland walk and the rest is history. But to say they should hang onto D-Rob but were correct in letting Wetteland walk is way off the mark. Wetteland led the league in saves with 43 in 1996. His save conversion percentage was three points higher than D-Rob’s at 92 percent, which for you mathematicians, means less blown saves. Wetteland also did something D-Rob has never had a shot to do. He wasn’t just the closer for a World Series champion, he closed out four games in a row and took home MVP of the Series. Rivera was a failed starter in 1995. There was just as much uncertainty moving Rivera to closer as there would be with the decision to bump Dellin Betances to the same role. Don’t sell Wetteland short. It was no easy move for the Yankees.

“How can you move Roberston? Who would be our set-up man if Betances becomes closer.” This simply makes no sense. Quickly, for the duration of the 90s dynasty, who was the set-up man? You know why you can’t answer? There was no definitive set-up man. Jeff Nelson and Mike Stanton were the best right-left punch in the business back then and Joe Torre used a variety of people in that spot. The decision to move or keep D-Rob should not be based on who will pitch the eighth inning. Yankees fans had the same questions entering this season. People forget D-Rob was not named the closer until right up to the end of Spring Training. He was the best set-up man in the game. You know who replaced him? Someone who was better than Robertson ever was. We have more options than ever in the minors with the likes of Tyler Webb or Jacob Lindgren that this should not be a thought in retaining Robertson.

“Robertson replaced Rivera and did it well. He’s one of the best closers in the game.” Maybe. But I don’t see it that way at all. If the Yankees win number 28 next season with Stephen Drew at short stop, does that make him one of the best short stops in the game? Who D-Rob replaced doesn’t make a difference as to what type of player he is. Here’s the simple truth. There are no more Marianos or Trevor Hoffmans. Aside from Craig Kimbrel, there is no one position with more inconsistency than the closer in baseball. To invest a fortune in a guy who had a pretty good first year in the role is just as risky as not doing it. You know who led the AL in saves in 2012 and 2013? Jim Johnson. Johnson compiled 101 saves in two years and finished this season as a minor leaguer after appearing on two different teams compiling a 7.09 ERA. This season Fernando Rodney led all of baseball in saves, but he has been all over the place in his career. Last year he blew eight saves and couldn’t keep runners off base and the year before he set records. To pass on a huge contract, which is what D-Rob will be offered, and move on to Betances or sign a cheaper option is not as ludicrous as some people want to make it seem.

Me. I’m not sold on either option yet because I am still enjoying playoff baseball and don’t want to think about the offseason yet. But when push comes to shove, we have to examine all sides of the coin. Despite what many Yankees’ fans think, letting Robertson walk does not mean he is a bad closer. It may simply mean, much like in ’96, that financially speaking, it may be time to gamble.

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